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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28184364">Sweeten the Deal</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/old_enough_to_know_better/pseuds/old_enough_to_know_better'>old_enough_to_know_better</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Stray Kids (Band)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Sugar Daddy, Eventual Smut, Fluff and Smut, I Can't Write Angst, I Will Go Down With This Ship, M/M, More Ships to come, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Slow Burn, fight me, kind of</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-12-20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-04-18</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-10 21:20:30</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Explicit</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>6</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>8,921</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28184364</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/old_enough_to_know_better/pseuds/old_enough_to_know_better</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Felix was a lot of things. He was hard-working. He was kind. He was honest and loyal. Frankly, he considered himself to be pretty attractive. He was a good student. He kept in touch with his parents back home. He was a good friend. And for the first time that he could remember, he was desperate.</p>
<p>🍬🍬🍬🍬🍬</p>
<p>After getting injured and losing his job, Felix can't afford both school and food. A suggestion from a friend just might change his life in ways he could never imagine. But is it worth it?</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Lee Felix/Seo Changbin</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>95</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>231</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. I get by with a little help from my friends</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Trying a chaptered fic again...</p>
<p>Hoo boy, let's see how this goes!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Felix was a lot of things. He was hard-working. He was kind. He was honest and loyal. Frankly, he considered himself to be pretty attractive. He was a good student. He kept in touch with his parents back home. He was a good friend. And for the first time that he could remember, he was desperate.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>🍬🍬🍬🍬🍬</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>“Good, just a little longer! Hold the stretch! And release.” A collective sigh was let out as the class returned to a neutral position. Felix looked up from his notes to catch a glimpse of his classmates in the mirror. Not too long ago, he would have been there with them, catching his breath after an intense choreography. He met the eyes of the tallest dancer in the room and smiled softly, before stuffing his laptop back into his old backpack. Hyunjin stretched once more, his arms reaching towards the ceiling, pulling his loose t-shirt to expose a sliver of skin above his waistband. Felix was contemplating standing up when the taller boy arrived at his side.</p><p>Felix took Hyunjin’s offered hand and pulled himself up with only a hint of a grimace. Hyunjin wrapped his arm around Felix’s shoulders as the two left the practice room, pressing the shorter against his side as they walked.</p><p>“I’m starving!” Hyunjin whined, guiding them to the dining hall. It wasn’t surprising, he was always hungry.</p><p>Honestly, Felix could stand to eat something, too, but the thought of the state of his bank account took the edge off his hunger. “I’ll keep you company, but I’m good,” he lied.</p><p>Felix broke away from his friend when they entered the building, steering himself towards a table where two others were already seated. Hyunjin would know where to find them.</p><p>“No, I don’t care, cereal is not a soup!” The younger of the two was saying, his fingers pinching the bridge of his nose. He looked like he was in serious pain.</p><p>The other shrugged. “Soup is a liquid food, with a stock and various added ingredients. Cereal has a milk stock, and various cromchy bits. Hence, soup.” He smiled proudly.</p><p>Finally noticing Felix, and under the threat of defeat, the soup-denier turned his sharp eyes to a new hope. “Please, Felix, talk some sense into him!”</p><p>“Sorry, mate.” Felix slid into a chair carefully. “He’s beyond help. Besides, I always thought it was a salad.”</p><p>Both other boys groaned and turned back to their food.</p><p>Hyunjin made it over to the table carrying two trays. “Lix, they’re serving turkey again, I don’t want it!” He pouted dramatically. “They made me get it since it’s on the meal plan.” He plopped a tray with a large turkey club sandwich down in front of his friend, an apple and French fries on the side. “So I bought a second lunch! You eat that!” Hyunjin sat down with his tray of spaghetti, no meatballs, and dug in. Felix could feel a flush creeping up the back of his neck. He knew what his friend was doing. His financial situation was no secret, and all of his friends liked to chip in as much as he would let them, which wasn’t much. But it’s not like he was going to let the food go to waste, it was already paid for after all…</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>🍬🍬🍬🍬🍬</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Felix reclined back on his bed, rubbing the red lines around his knee from where the brace dug into the skin. It always felt so good to take it off, but he had to be so careful. His roommate sat at his desk, leaning back in his chair, two legs off the ground.</p><p>“But really, Felix, there’s so many things that could be soup!”</p><p>“Jisung, I love you, but if you don’t drop it, I will murder you and sell your organs on the black market.”</p><p>The chair dropped to the floor. “Dang, bruh, getting a sugar daddy is probably easier.” He cocked his head to the side. “Maybe grosser, though.” He full-body shivered.</p><p>Felix snorted. “What do you know about sugar daddies?” He fought a grimace. His knee was aching again. The doctor had said rest would help it, but it didn’t seem to be making a difference.</p><p>Jisung shrugged. “Just what I hear from the Hwangs. They’re all like, ‘<em>Don’t tell Yeji’, ‘Don’t tell Jinnie’, </em>but they’ve both been getting some sugar on the side." Felix laughed at the thought of the twins keeping the same secret, but as he put on his sleeping brace and fell asleep, he thought of how nice it must be to have someone pay just for your companionship.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>🍬🍬🍬🍬🍬</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>It wasn’t until a few days later when Yeji pulled him aside before dance class started. Hyunjin gave them a weird look, but let it slide and entered the room. She tucked her long hair behind an ear before looking up at Felix from the corner of her eye. “So, little Sungie tells me things aren’t so great in the financial world right now.”</p><p>Felix could kill him. He didn’t ask for help. Yeah, bills are piling up, but he’ll manage once he can go back to work. He doesn’t need their pity.</p><p>“And Jinnie told me your knee’s not getting better.” Seriously, fuck them both.</p><p>“I’m fine.” Felix grunted out.</p><p>Yeji cocked her head. He knew she saw right through it. He never could lie to her. She bit her lip. “I can’t believe I’m telling you this, but check out <em>Sweeten.</em> It’s an app, and it’s pretty good. You have all the control, and well, it might help you out a little.” She put a hand on his shoulder, rubbing lightly. “We all love you, Lixie.”</p><p>He was a few steps behind her into the practice room. Was that really what he thought it was?</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>🍬🍬🍬🍬🍬</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Turns out, it sure was. And he didn’t even get to find out on his own. That very night, Jeongin suggested a friend’s night in Jisung and Felix’s room. By suggested, he really meant burst in with Hyunjin and several illegal bottles of alcohol. After several rounds of tipsy Smash Brothers and drunken Mario Kart, Hyunjin began to talk about his newest ‘friend’, someone by the name of Jinyoung. Some prodding from Jisung revealed that this was a financially beneficial relationship to Hyunjin, but please don’t tell Yeji.</p><p>“I found him on Sweeten, and he’s soooo dreamy!” Hyunjin swooned, his silvery hair escaping its messy ponytail to fall around his face. “Like, he doesn’t even want to <em>do</em> anything, he just wants to do date things!” He started pouting. “Kinda boring, actually, but he’s hot, so it’s whatever.”</p><p>Jeongin and Jisung started laughing at him, but Felix just started thinking. Were there really hot, rich guys out there who would pay him to look good around them? Like, not creepy guys? Felix must have been too deep in thought, and Jeongin not as drunk as believed, because his lack of focus was noticed.</p><p>“LIX! We should make you a profile!” Gasps and squeals and one ‘fuck yeah!’ erupted.</p><p>Felix shook his head. “I really don’t want one.”</p><p>“No, it’ll be perfect! No more moping, and no more money problems!”</p><p>“Ooh, Lixie, you’re gonna snag the hottest guy, I just know it!”</p><p>Felix tried to hide his phone, but Jisung was too fast. He yoinked it from Felix’s hands and swiftly downloaded the app, pausing briefly to think of a profile name. Grinning, he continued. “Height, weight, occupation, interests, blah, blah, blah, you can edit and fill most of these out later. Aha! Pictures! I want one from right now. You look adorably fuckable.”</p><p>Jeongin did a spittake while Felix hid his face. “No, Sung, I can’t! I don’t have any product on, my hair is grown out, I look terrible, just use old pictures.”</p><p>Jisung persisted, though, and managed to capture a series of photos in soft blurred light of Felix shyly looking at the camera from behind small hands barely peeking out of his long sleeved sweater. His blonde hair hung over his face, dark roots clearly visible, and freckles mapped across his nose, cheeks, and eyelids like stars. The three onlookers let out a low whistle at the results.</p><p>“I’d hit that.” Jeongin remarked.</p><p>“Yeah right, we’re all bottoms.” Hyunjin countered.</p><p>Jisung scoffed. “Speak for yourself, I’m vers.”</p><p>Felix snatched his phone back during this exchange, and proofread the profile Jisung made. He fixed his weight, added a few interests, and looked over the photos Jisung had added. He especially liked the one from his last dance showcase. The sheer shirt showed his abs, and the water on the stage set a sensual mood. He looked fierce. He clicked complete, then looked at his friends with terror in his eyes.</p><p>“I did it.”</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>🍬🍬🍬🍬🍬</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The others quickly lost interest in Felix’s new app, turning back to the Switch in the corner of the room, but Felix couldn’t stop checking it. It didn’t help that he was getting a near constant stream of notifications from it.</p><p>
  <em>You have a new like on Sweeten!</em>
</p><p>
  <em>You have a new like on Sweeten!</em>
</p><p>
  <em>You have a new like on Sweeten!</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Someone sent you a message on Sweeten!</em>
</p><p>
  <em>You have a new like on Sweeten!</em>
</p><p>He checked the profiles of every interaction, but no one caught his eye. They all seemed to be the stereotypical ‘older man seeks younger man for illicit activities’ type of deal. Not what Felix wanted. He was about to turn it off for the night when he got one more message notification.</p><p> </p><p><strong>dwekki: </strong>it’s overwhelming, isn’t it?</p><p> </p><p>Felix waited for a proposition, or worse, a dick pic. He waited for several minutes, but none came.</p><p> </p><p><strong>yonghaengbok: </strong>what is?</p><p><strong>dwekki:</strong> this website, looking for a match</p><p><strong>yonghaengbok:</strong> uhh, yeah, i guess</p><p> </p><p>Felix clicked onto his profile. He only had one picture, and it wasn’t even of his face. It was a silhouette in an office, a broad-shouldered figure with a body that tapered to a narrow waist, with strong arms. Felix could tell his sleeves were rolled up to the elbows, and his head was turned to the side, showcasing a sloping nose and strong chin. The stark black and white set a classic tone. His profile was also bare bones, although Felix did note that the stranger was a little shorter than him. Not a problem. Wait. Was he considering this? What the fuck? Hold up, he had gotten a new message.</p><p> </p><p><strong>dwekki: </strong>what brings you to these parts of the internet?</p><p><strong>dwekki:</strong> orrr, you don’t have to tell me, it’s your business</p><p><strong>yonghaengbok: </strong>sry got busy. im broke. and broken.</p><p><strong>dwekki: </strong>mood.</p><p><strong>yonghaengbok: </strong>tf?</p><p><strong>dwekki: </strong>i mean, that’s terrible, tell me more about yourself</p><p><strong>yonghaengbok: </strong>how old r u even?</p><p><strong>dwekki: </strong>28</p><p><strong>yonghaengbok:</strong> damn, n ur a daddy?!</p><p><strong>dwekki: </strong>if you play your cards right…</p><p> </p><p>Felix wasn’t sure how to feel. On one hand, he was drawn to this guy’s picture. On the other hand, he seemed kind of sleazy. On the third hand, he was the youngest guy he had come across. On the fourth hand, where were all these hands coming from? Oh, it was Jeongin.</p><p>“If you don’t hit that, I will.”</p><p>Felix didn’t respond, to either of them.</p><p> </p><p>He woke up to one new message.</p><p> </p><p><strong>dwekki: </strong>I WILL KILL LEE MINHO. I APOLOGIZE PROFUSELY.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Lee Minho is a dead man walking</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>He knew immediately when he woke up. He was too old for this. Changbin could feel the dull throb of a hangover behind his eyes, and his mouth tasted like sweaty cotton. He groaned, cursing his friends and business partners. If it weren’t for Minho’s idea to celebrate their newest deal, he would be fine right now. He at least hoped they were both suffering just as much right now.</p><p>He rolled out of bed and trudged to the bathroom. Squinting in the bright light, he risked a glance in the mirror. His eyes were swollen, his hair a mess. The face looking back at him brought back far too many memories. Scowling, he turned away.</p><p>After a shower, he felt much more human. Pulling a plain shirt and sweats on, he set about to search for his phone. He needed to yell at Minho, and probably Chan, too, for allowing this to happen. Again.</p><p>He finally found his phone on the cushion of his leather couch, low battery light blinking. Drunk Changbin was never very good at taking care of his electronics. He had destroyed way too many pairs of headphones before figuring that out. He plugged it in to charge on the coffee table, then began making his morning coffee. He toasted some bread, and brought it all back out to the couch. It was his house, and no one could make him eat at the table if he didn’t want to.</p><p>He unlocked his screen to find a string of caring messages from Chan. Changbin really couldn’t be angry at him, he was too sweet. He had a lone message from Minho, though, that caught his eye.</p><p>
  <em>3:04 AM: thnk me later, daddyyyy! </em>
</p><p>What the fuck. Why in the world was Minho calling him daddy? First off, ew, not in this lifetime. Second, what did he do? Changbin checked his camera roll and his outgoing messages to no avail. Nothing was out of the ordinary. Nothing on any of his social media apps. He couldn’t find anything. He was about to message Chan and ask what Minho was on when he noticed a new app sitting in the corner of his screen, a little piece of candy as the icon.<em> Sweeten</em>, it said when he clicked it.</p><p>He was going to kill Lee Minho. A sugar daddy app? Was he fucking serious? This was outrageous. Who did he think he was? Changbin fumed as blinked at his phone. It wasn’t like he was desperate. Just because he hadn’t been on a date in a while, that was his business, no one else’s. He could find someone perfectly fine on his own.</p><p>As his initial anger began to ebb, something else prickled at Changbin. He only had one message. He didn’t like to consider himself vain, but seriously? Just one? He was young, he was fit, he was well off. Was it because Minho was brutally honest about his height? He tapped the message, curious despite himself.</p><p>Lee Minho was a dead man walking. Changbin could count his list of sins. The height mocking. Using his secret nickname. Making the profile in the first place. But talking to someone like that? While pretending to be him? Minho better get a head start. Changbin sent a quick, emphatic apology to the poor kid on the other end, who seemed perfectly nice. He closed out of the app, queued up something mindless to stream on his TV, and began plotting his revenge.</p><p> </p><p>🍬🍬🍬🍬🍬</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>It took exactly one and a half episodes before the app was open again on Changbin’s phone. He tried to resist when he got the notification of a new message, he really did. He had no intention of starting a ‘thing’ with anyone right now. But it wouldn’t hurt to see what they had to say, right?</p><p> </p><p><strong>yonghaengbok:</strong> uhh idk who that is, but rip, ig? if u get caught i dnt no anything, I gotchu</p><p> </p><p>Changbin smiled, despite himself. One conversation couldn’t hurt anything, right? His eyes drifted to the profile picture attached to the speech bubble, catching on the blonde hair. He couldn’t see much in that tiny picture, so he tapped to go to his profile.</p><p>It would be cliché for him to say that his breath caught in his throat, but it would be true. Those dark eyes looking up at his seemed to peer right out of the phone and into his soul. He looked like an absolute angel, sent from heaven. Changbin wasn’t sure if his instinct was to protect him or to ruin him. All he knew was that he wanted to kiss every single freckle on his face, and maybe find out where else there were freckles. He wanted to feel those tiny hands on his own. He was drawn to this stranger, and needed to know more. Against his better judgment, he sent a message back.</p><p> </p><p><strong>dwekki:</strong> yeah so he was the one you were talking to last night. he made this profile. on my phone.</p><p><strong>yonghaengbok:</strong> so who r u then?</p><p> </p><p>Changbin hadn’t been expecting a reply that quickly. He wasn’t sure what to say, or how much information to give out. Not that he didn’t want to trust this stranger, but well, he didn’t trust him yet.</p><p> </p><p><strong>dwekki:</strong> um you can call me Bin</p><p><strong>yonghaengbok:</strong> ooh scret identity! uh call me yong then</p><p><strong>dwekki: </strong>okay yongie, tell me about yourself</p><p> </p><p>He curled up on the couch, ignoring the messages from Chan and Minho now that they could see he was online. He didn’t really want to talk to them anyways. Some may call it pouting. Changbin preferred to think of it as cooling down.</p><p> </p><p><strong>yonghaengbok:</strong> ok im 21, im from australia, i moved here fr school. im a dance major but I dnt wana talk abt it. im out of work, cnt make $$, so here i am. hbu?</p><p> </p><p><strong>dwekki:</strong> well, i am 28, im a senior exec at a pretty well known company, and i have assholes for friends</p><p><strong>dwekki:</strong> im sorry, you seem like a nice kid, but this wasn’t my idea. i don’t want to lead you on thinking that im able to be your provider. im not looking for any kind of companionship right now</p><p> </p><p>Changbin closed his eyes after sending that. He took a few deep breaths before reopening them, but there was still no new message. Great. He probably totally offended this kid, and now he was on to hit up some predator.</p><p> </p><p><strong>yonghaengbok:</strong> sounds prty lonly if u ask me.</p><p><strong>yonghaengbok:</strong> im sry ab tur friends. mine sgned me up 2. ig if u want to rant abt bad friends, hmu. I wnt expect anything else</p><p> </p><p>He sighed, locking his phone and putting it down beside him. In the same breath, he picked it back up and called his most recently dialed number.</p><p>
  <em>“’Lo?”</em>
</p><p>“Chan, I’m swearing you to secrecy. This doesn’t leave this phone call.”</p><p>
  <em>“I’m fine, Binnie. Thanks for asking! How are you?”</em>
</p><p>Changbin rolled his eyes. “I’m serious. I’m in distress over here.”</p><p>
  <em>“Well take the dress off and put some pants on then.”</em>
</p><p>“I’m hanging up.”</p><p>
  <em>“No, wait, what’s wrong? I can be cool.”</em>
</p><p>“You are the farthest thing from cool. But I need advice, and you’re the closest thing to an adult I’ve got, so…”</p><p>
  <em>“I’m touched, Binnie. Come over, we’ll order shitty food and gossip like teenage girls?”</em>
</p><p>Changbin sighed. “Yeah, that sounds perfect. See you soon.”</p><p> </p><p>🍬🍬🍬🍬🍬</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>“You did WHAT?!” Chan half-yelled as Changbin wiped the spray of water that had just been in Chan’s mouth off of his arm. He didn’t think he’d actually do a spit-take, but he should have known better then to drop the bomb while the older was drinking.</p><p>He shrugged as casually as he could, given the circumstances. “I messaged him back. It’s not a big deal.”</p><p>“Like hell it isn’t! When have you ever gone along with one of Minho’s schemes?”</p><p>Changbin narrowed his eyes. “Literally our entire business? Did you forget about that?”</p><p>“Okay, okay, he had <em>one</em> good idea. But we did the hard work!” They both laughed. “But seriously, I would have thought you would have deleted the app right away. That’s the only reason I didn’t stop him. I did make sure he didn’t put your face or name on there.”<br/>
<br/>
</p><p>“Oh, thanks ever so much.” Changbin scoffed. “No, I wanted to apologize first, and then I got… distracted.” He bit down on his lower lip as he looked away.</p><p>He could have guessed that Chan would pick up on his change in demeanor. “Let me see him.”</p><p>“Wh-what? Who? There’s no-?” Changbin tried to avoid eye contact, desperate to preserve his innocent façade. It was doomed to fail from the start. Chan knew him too well. He stopped fiddling with his phone and unlocked the screen. Chan scooted over close to look over his shoulder. Yong’s profile was easy to navigate to from the messages tab, which Changbin tried to block from view. Those just felt too private to share, even if there was nothing too incriminating.</p><p>Chan let out a low whistle. “Damn, Bin. It’s like he walked out of your twinky dreams. You sure you didn’t make him up?” Changbin punched him in the arm. “I’m just saying! I’ve never seen anyone that screams <em>your type</em> so much. You’re gonna pass that up?”</p><p>Biting the inside of his cheek, Changbin shook his head. “It’s not real. It’s not right. He would just want my money.” The thought made him feel so small.</p><p>Chan slung an arm over his shoulder, settling in against him. “I dunno, you never know unless you try. But what do I know, I’m just older and wiser.”</p><p>“Fuck off, old man. You’re not getting any, either.” Changbin shrugged him off and pushed off the couch. “I’m gonna go hit the gym. You look like you could use it, too.”</p><p>“Nah, I’m gonna get some work done. These deals don’t make themselves.” Chan leaned back into the cushions. “Go get swole, work off that extra energy.” He winked and laughed when Changbin rolled his eyes.</p><p> </p><p>🍬🍬🍬🍬🍬</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The gym was just what he needed. His muscles had that familiar soreness from a job well done, and his stress levels were markedly lower than before he went in. His hard work was paying off, and the softness he had gained from working a desk job for the last few years was fading into hard planes. He snapped a few shots at different angles, just for progress pics, before he left the locker room.</p><p>He was surprised by how dark it was when he left the building. He had been in there longer than he planned. The night air had a bit of a chill to it, cooling his exposed skin on the way to his car. The ride back to his house was short, and before long, he was home with no plans on a Saturday night. Not the worst thing in the world, considering he couldn’t remember Friday night.</p><p>Changbin’s phone pinged. It was probably Minho, trying to apologize by inviting him out to a bar. It pinged again. He sure was insistent. Changbin took out his phone. Sure enough, there was a text from Minho, like nothing had happened. But there was also a notification from Sweeten.</p><p> </p><p><strong>yonghaengbok:</strong> I h8 collge my frnds suck.</p><p> </p><p>Another came in while Changbin was reading.</p><p> </p><p><strong>yonghaengbok:</strong> theyre partying n my room agn. im nt intrsted in this. plz tell me it gets better!</p><p> </p><p>Before Changbin could reply, he was caught off guard by in incoming picture. Yong had sent him a selfie, only the right half of his face in frame, with the rest of the picture being taken up by what appeared to be a dorm room full of other students. He had covered their faces with cute little stickers, but they were clearly in varying states of intoxication. Yong’s hair was falling loose over his forehead, and he was wearing an oversized tee, his collarbones prominent in the corner of the frame. Changbin swallowed hard.</p><p> </p><p><strong>dwekki:</strong> it gets better. and worse. enjoy not having hangovers while you can</p><p><strong>dwekki:</strong> u look cute btw</p><p> </p><p>Shit shit shit. He didn’t mean to send that. Not that it wasn’t true, but he wasn’t trying to flirt with this kid. He considered all of the ways he could disappear from the face of the earth, whether it was worth it to go into witness protection, or if never leaving his house again was enough. Yong hadn’t responded yet, so Changbin chucked his phone across the couch. It instantly pinged. He dove for it. He had to see what he said.</p><p> </p><p><strong>yonghaengbok:</strong> I tht u wrnt intrstd n anything? thts wat u sed</p><p> </p><p>Changbin let out a deep breath. This wasn’t going away. Maybe he could keep it impersonal. Keep it just flirty, through the app? He could try. Maybe it would fizzle.</p><p> </p><p><strong>dwekki: </strong>lets just say im not disinterested</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Translation, please</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I meant to have this up for Christmas, oops.</p><p>I mentioned in the comments earlier, if you need a Felix translation, let me know!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Hyunjin! Where’s your keycard?”</p><p>“Why, Bokkie?” Hyunjin swayed on his feet to an unheard beat.</p><p>“I’m sleeping in your room tonight. You can keep Jisungie company.” Hyunjin squealed with joy, smothering the younger with a hug. He fished his keycard out of his pocket for Felix without letting go of the other.</p><p>Felix was glad to be out of the commotion. He loved his friends’ get-togethers, don’t get him wrong, but every night on the weekends was a bit much. There were eight people in his small dorm room right now, and he just needed to relax. Hyunjin, however, had a single room, his parents had shelled out the extra so he didn’t have to have a roommate. Why they didn’t have the parties in there, Felix had no idea.</p><p>Felix took off his slippers as soon as he got into the room, and flopped onto the bed. He nearly moaned. He had forgotten that Hyunjin had a memory foam mattress topper. Oh, it felt so good! He closed his eyes and let his muscles relax.</p><p>Opening his eyes after a moment, he checked his phone. The mysterious older man had responded. Felix grinned, typing a response felt easier now that he was alone and comfortable.</p><p> </p><p><strong>yonghaengbok:</strong> I tht u wrnt intrstd n anything? thts wat u sed</p><p> </p><p>He wasn’t sure if it was the singular drink that he had had earlier that night, or the comfortable mattress beneath him, or the safety of anonymity, but he felt like it was okay to tease a little bit. He rested his phone on his chest and closed his eyes. Hyunjin’s room was nicely warm. When Bin responded, Fellix took a quick peek at the message before bolting straight up.</p><p> </p><p><strong>dwekki: </strong>lets just say im not disinterested</p><p> </p><p>What the fuck did that mean? What made him change his mind? Felix’s brain was screaming, and it was all he could do to keep it from coming out his mouth. He scooted up on the bed until he was leaning back against the wall. He gnawed nervously at his lower lip. How was he supposed to keep this going? He realized that he hadn’t responded for quite a while, and his eyes shot back to the screen. Yup, the message was still there. Shakily, he started typing.</p><p> </p><p><strong>yonghaengbok:</strong> ok lets say im nt eithr. how do I no who u r? u cld b a creep</p><p><strong>dwekki:</strong> i guess so. im not. i just really don’t want to send pics of my face yet. im kinda high profile</p><p> </p><p>Felix pondered that. While not showing his face would make it easier to catfish him, the prospect of someone well-known being into him was very enticing.</p><p> </p><p><strong>dwekki: </strong>but this is me</p><p><strong>dwekki:</strong> <em>[IMG attached]</em></p><p> </p><p>Felix took a few moments to really absorb the picture. The man in it was standing in front of a mirror, obviously having just finished a workout. He was wearing a black tank and grey joggers, both fitting closely to a well-muscled frame. The tank stretched snugly over a broad chest, with thick arms clearly on display. The upper half of his right bicep was covered in an intricate tattoo extending up to his shoulder. The joggers left little to the imagination, not only hugging powerful thighs, but hinting at what lie between them. He had put a sticker over the man’s face, blocking any chance of identifying him.</p><p> </p><p><strong>yonghaengbok:</strong> bullshit</p><p><strong>dwekki:</strong> what?</p><p><strong>yonghaengbok: </strong>its nt u</p><p><strong>yonghaengbok: </strong>wht insta did u pll tht frm</p><p><strong>dwekki:</strong> um its me. i took it earlier today</p><p><strong>yonghaengbok:</strong> prve it. tke a new 1. wrte “i ❤ yonghaengbok” on a papr</p><p><strong>dwekki:</strong> are you serious?</p><p><strong>yonghaengbok: </strong>im w8ing</p><p> </p><p>Felix forced himself to lay back down and close his eyes. He once again placed his phone on his chest. He would feel it if he got a notification. His mind drifted to that first photo he had been sent. Even if it was a blatant catfish, damn, that guy was hot. He looked like he could easily lift Felix and carry him wherever he needed to go. Felix rubbed his hand over his stomach, each pass causing his shirt to rise higher. He hadn’t even thought about physical attraction in a while, he had been way too busy. After starting school, he was swept up in homework and dance practice, and then work on top of that. And then the worst day of his life, and all that came to a screeching halt. For the past month, all he had was homework and more homework. Oh, and worrying about how to make ends meet. And what he was going to do with his life. His fist clenched in his shirt just as his phone vibrated.</p><p> </p><p><strong>dwekki:</strong> <em>[IMG attached]</em></p><p> </p><p>The first thing Felix noticed was that the sign was wrong. It read “yonghaengbok is pushing his luck” with a V? or a checkmark? in the corner next to “dwekki”. Okay, so this photo was probably real. The second thing he noticed was the tattoo on the person’s right arm. He was wearing a tee shirt now, only the bottom of the tattoo visible below the fabric. But it was definitely the same one. Felix swallowed hard. He wasn’t being catfished. This was real. Slowly, he took in the rest of the picture. It cut off just at his chin, the angled lighting creating strong shadows over his neck, pecs, and hand holding the sign. His shirt was bunched in such a way that Felix wasn’t able to determine the abs situation, but he was able to see the same grey joggers from before as well. His mouth was suddenly very dry.</p><p> </p><p><strong>yonghaengbok:</strong> i admt dfeat. its u</p><p><strong>dwekki:</strong> i know. now what do i get for the trouble?</p><p><strong>yonghaengbok:</strong> nthr pic?</p><p> </p><p>He quickly opened his camera and snapped a few pictures, sending one to Bin. It was only after it was sent did he realize that he looked, well, less than innocent. He face was splayed over the pillowcase from how he landed, and his shirt had been creeping higher, enough that a strip of skin was showing between it and his shorts. There was a clear blush on his cheeks that he doubted he could explain away.</p><p>
  
</p><p><strong>dwekki:</strong> god, you look</p><p><strong>dwekki:</strong> nvm</p><p><strong>dwekki: </strong>you should go to sleep, its late</p><p> </p><p>Felix let out a breath he had been holding. He was so confused. And half-hard. He rolled onto his side and was eventually able to fall asleep to visions of strong arms and thighs. He slept better than he had in a long while. Maybe it was the mattress, maybe not.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Sorry it's so short.<br/>Hopefully, it was worth the wait?</p><p>More coming soon!</p><p>Scream at me here or on twitter if I'm taking too long.<br/>@minnisoldenough</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Red Alert</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Changbin groaned and slammed his head on the desk. He pushed his chair out behind him as he stood up. This wasn’t working. He paced a few times across the length of his office, before coming to a halt in front of his door. He opened it, peeking out.</p><p>“Seungmin?” The younger man at the desk outside looked up over his glasses. “Do I have anything on the schedule for this afternoon?”</p><p>The secretary rolled his eyes. “Honestly, Mr. Seo, it’s your own schedule, I don’t see why you can’t remember it. It’s not that hard! I keep track of all three of you.” He shook his head in defeat, pushing his glasses back up his nose.</p><p>“That didn’t answer my question…” Changbin mumbled.</p><p>Seungmin sighed, much louder than Changbin felt was called for. “No, sir, no meetings with clients or department heads on the books today.”</p><p>“Score!” Changbin cheered. He disappeared into the office again, before re-emerging with his jacket on. “Tell Channie that I had to leave early. Thanks, you’re the best!”</p><p>Changbin grinned as he heard his employee mutter to himself, “Every fucking week, it’s something new. How they get anything done… Yes, hello Mr. Bang. Mr. Seo unfortunately had to leave the office early today…”</p><p> </p><p>🍬🍬🍬🍬🍬</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>It had been a week since Changbin had sent Yong his photos. A week since he nearly let himself go over the younger. Changbin couldn’t stop thinking about him. They had continued to message each other, with greater frequency, throughout the week. Even without that, though, Changbin didn’t think he’d be able to keep his mind off the freckled boy. There hadn’t been anymore pictures, but that last one he had received? That had been engraved in his brain. Yong’s perfect tiny frame, his wide eyes, his slightly parted lips. They were all Changbin saw when he closed his eyes.</p><p>He had come to a decision. It was time to make an offer. He knew that Yong had no classes this afternoon, so now was the perfect time. He settled into the couch, nervously bringing up their conversation. Why were his palms sweating? This wasn’t supposed to be a big deal. <em>Just send it, Seo!</em> He took a deep breath, erased everything he had typed, and then aggressively re-typed it. He hit send before he could talk himself out of it. Again.</p><p> </p><p><strong>dwekki:</strong> im oficially interested</p><p> </p><p>Changbin set the phone next to him on the cushion. He wasn’t sure if Yong was available to talk right now or not, but he couldn’t help glancing at the screen every few seconds, just in case.</p><p>A half-hour passed before Changbin realized he should probably occupy himself. He unloaded the dishwasher and put everything away, something he never usually did unless he was running a new load. He wiped down the sink and the counters, then moved out of the kitchen to organize his shoes by the door. He grabbed his phone, checked it again. Still nothing. Taking the phone into his bedroom, he began sorting his dirty clothes for the laundry. The ping of an incoming notification made him drop a sock that he had found under the bed. He willed himself not to dive for the phone, and made himself count to ten before grabbing it.</p><p> </p><p><strong>yonghaengbok:</strong> w8 wut?</p><p><strong>dwekki: </strong>im interested. in you. in making a deal. i want this</p><p><strong>yonghaengbok:</strong> o um fuck rly? wow</p><p><strong>yonghaengbok: </strong>shit</p><p> </p><p>Changbin held his breath, his heart beating too loudly in his ears. This wasn’t going like he planned.</p><p> </p><p><strong>yonghaengbok: </strong>i mn YES, i thnk. liek, idek wut 2 say</p><p><strong>dwekki:</strong> yes is good</p><p><strong>dwekki:</strong> yes is very good. can we meet? work out some details?</p><p> </p><p>Changbin chewed on his lower lip waiting for an answer. his heart was still racing, palms still sweaty. This was a lot to deal with, he needed to work up an agreement between them, that would take a little bit, and he wasn’t sure when, or if, Yong would feel comfortable meeting him.</p><p> </p><p><strong>yonghaengbok: </strong>ym now? ig i cud, i m kinda hngry</p><p> </p><p>Wait.</p><p>Fuck.</p><p>Red alert.</p><p> </p><p><strong>dwekki: </strong>theres a cafe near your school, how about there?</p><p> </p><p>Changbin’s brain was screeching at him to stop, but no, he just charged right into that.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>🍬🍬🍬🍬🍬</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Before he knew it, he was sitting at a table in the corner of a college town café, waiting for his potential sugar baby to walk in. He rolled up the sleeves of his shirt, he should have changed before coming here. He stood out in his crisp button-down and slacks. He had his tablet with him, opened to a document that he hoped would be useful. He had done a quick internet search for ‘sugar daddy contracts’, and hated most of what he found. But by piecing together what he liked, he was able to come up with a rough outline.</p><p>Every time the door opened, Changbin’s breath caught. He realized that Yong didn’t know what his face looked like, so it would be up to him to recognize the younger. This time wasn’t him, either. He was late. He probably wasn’t coming. Changbin was going to be wasting his time, and the poor server’s time, he should give her a huge tip when he left.</p><p>The bell over the door chimed again. Two boys walked in. Changbin let out the breath he was holding. Were all the students here good-looking? The first one through the door was tall and lanky, with long platinum hair half-pulled into a ponytail, and the face of a model. He was laughing over his shoulder with someone a few inches shorter, so all Changbin could see was grown-out blonde hair. The taller boy moved, and Changbin’s heart stuttered. It was Yong. He waved his friend away to a stool at the counter before looking around the café.</p><p>Changbin blinked several times before remembering that he needed to do something. He leaned partway out of the booth and waved to the other. Yong’s eyes widened and he seemed frozen in place for a moment, but then he broke into a grin and came forwards. Sliding into the booth, he bit his lower lip and held out a hand. Changbin took it, marveling at how small it was in his own.</p><p>“Yong?” He asked quietly, reverently, even though he knew full well who it was.</p><p>The boy nodded, smiling. “And you must be Bin.” Christ on a cracker, his voice was deep. Changbin was once again startled by the harsh contrasts of the younger.</p><p>“Seo Changbin, at your service.” He said with a small smile. There was still a little fear that this would leak, that someone could use this against him.</p><p>“Wait, <em>that</em> Seo Changbin? Holy shit…” Yong whistled under his breath. “When you said high profile, I thought you meant, like, an influencer or some shit. Not a damn CEO! SKZE is one of the biggest music labels I know, and you’re all so young!”</p><p>Changbin could feel himself starting to flush. Maybe this really was a bad idea. “Yeah, I guess I’m pretty well-known. But we’ll get to that. Maybe we should start with your name?” He raised an eyebrow at the boy across from him, and was pleased to see a quick flash of a blush across his cheeks.</p><p>“O-oh, yeah. I’m Lee Felix.” Changbin squinted his eyes and tilted his head, but Felix continued. The ‘Yong’ came from my Korean name, Yongbok.”</p><p>“Well, <em>Yongbok,</em> if you’re still interested, we have some paperwork to get to.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Yeah, y'all knew Lixie's typing wasn't gonna get any better...</p><p>But yay, they finally met!<br/>Next time, we get more from Felix!</p><p>Scream at me here and on the bird app:<br/>@minnisoldenough</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Great Expectations</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Well this took a while...<br/>I'm so sorry this took so long, I went back to school, so now I work full-time, and I'm in school full-time. It leaves me with almost no "me time". I finally took a break to get this chapter finished.</p>
<p>I love this AU, and I promise I'm not abandoning it!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Take a deep breath, babe, I’ll be nearby.” Hyunjin rubbed Felix’s shoulder as they stood outside the café. “If you need to bail, I’m here.”</p>
<p>Felix sighed. “I can do this. It’s just like a business meeting.” He cringed. “Which I have no experience with.”</p>
<p>“At least, if he’s a total uggo, you can always flaunt me instead.” Hyunjin laughed as he pushed the door open.</p>
<p>Felix followed behind, trying to peer over his friend’s shoulder, mostly unsuccessfully. “Do you see him?” He whispered.</p>
<p>Hyunjin shot him a glare. “I don’t know what the fuck he looks like any better than you. I’ll be at the counter, I can see everyone from there.” He patted Felix’s shoulder as he walked away.</p>
<p>Felix slowly breathed in as he took a look around the café. It was pretty full, he wasn’t sure how he was going to recognize someone whose face he had never seen before. He started to panic, they should have thought of a signal, or told each other what they would be wearing, or something. He could be anyone. Okay, he probably wasn’t one of the people already sat in groups or couples, and Felix was willing to bet he wasn’t wearing a school sweatshirt. That narrowed it down to only a few people, one of whom was waving at him. Oh shit.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>🍬🍬🍬🍬🍬</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Felix couldn’t believe it. <em>The </em>Seo Changbin was offering to be his sugar daddy. One of the multi-millionaire owners of the fastest growing music label in the country. If he wasn’t sitting down, his knees would be weak. Not only was he young, rich, and fit as hell, he was also hot. Like, smoking hot. His face was full with a pointed chin, with dark eyes and a slight smirk on his face. Felix was in awe. He shrank back in his seat slightly. Even though he was wearing light makeup, just some BB cream, a little liner, and a tinted balm, he felt like a potato next to this specimen of a man.</p>
<p>“Well, <em>Yongbok</em>, if you’re still interested, we have some paperwork to get to.”</p>
<p>Was he interested? On one hand, fuck yes. It was like a one in a million score. On the other, this was terrifying. It was suddenly very real, sitting here in person, with no phones separating them.</p>
<p>“Uh yeah, um, what do you need from me?” He breathed out.</p>
<p>Changbin smiled. “First and foremost, this needs to be signed, whether we go forward or not.” He pushed a tablet and stylus in front of Felix, with a contract pulled up. “It’s a Non-Disclosure Agreement. I think it’s best for everyone if we keep this quiet.” Felix nodded. He skimmed through the document, signing and dating at the end. “I can email you a copy of this later.” Felix nodded again. He felt like a bobblehead.</p>
<p>Changbin swiped a few times on the screen of the tablet to pull up a new document. “Now for the tricky bit. Expectations.” Felix’s eyes widened, a lump forming in his throat. From the corner of his eye, he saw Hyunjin sit forward on his stool. He shook his head minutely, and Hyunjin relaxed.</p>
<p>“Ex-expectations about what?”</p>
<p>“Just, like, what do you want to get out of this, what are the limits, that kind of thing.” Changbin chuckled, a raspy sound that felt warm to Felix. “Don’t worry, I’m just making it up as I go, I pulled this up online.”</p>
<p>Felix’s eyes crinkled into half-moons as he smiled. “Ah, I get it, like my allowance or something.”</p>
<p>“Yeah, that’s part of it.” Changbin swiped to show that portion of the page. “But there’s a lot more. Do you want something to eat?”</p>
<p>Felix looked up quickly. “Can I?”</p>
<p>Changbin smiled widely, waving over the server. The two quickly placed an order, the older encouraging Felix to get a milkshake if he wanted it. He did. Once the server left, they got back to business. “I’m going to lay this out first, I’m not asking for anything sexual, so if that’s a hard no, don’t worry.”</p>
<p>Felix nodded. “Not a <em>hard </em>no, but it takes some pressure off. I’d rather not, no offense.”</p>
<p>Changbin laughed. “None taken.” Their drinks arrived, and they sat for a moment in slightly awkward silence. “Can you cook?”</p>
<p>Felix laughed. “Kind of?”</p>
<p>Changbin nodded once. “Good, that’s what I want. I want you to sometimes cook for me.”</p>
<p>“I’m not very good.”</p>
<p>“I can’t cook at all.”</p>
<p>They both laughed at Changbin’s admission, the ice effectively broken. They managed to work through the document together, figuring out what Changbin wanted (an event companion, a casual date, and an occasional cook), what Felix wanted (being able to pay tuition and bills, a place to escape his roommate and friends), and what it would take financially. They took a break when their food arrived, and Felix could feel Changbin watching him as he took giant bites of his sandwich. He brushed it off, it was the first time he had eaten today.</p>
<p>By the time they had finished eating, the only thing that was left to discuss was financial. Felix wasn’t able to work right now, so he wasn’t making any money. He could only defer his tuition for so long, and it was starting to build up. He typed out a number on screen for Changbin, one that would cover his tuition, but leave him to scrape by otherwise. Changbin took a look and raised one eyebrow.</p>
<p>“Look, I know I’m not up on the average cost of living, but isn’t that a little low?”</p>
<p>“I’ll make it work.”</p>
<p>Changbin’s other eyebrow joined the first. He deleted Felix’s typed sum and entered his own, significantly higher one. Felix started to protest, but Changbin cut him off. “You’re not very good at this are you? Please, it would make me happy.” Felix grumbled, but let the number stay. “Thank you.”</p>
<p>Felix reached into his pocket to grab some crumpled bills to pay for his portion of the meal, but Changbin stopped him with a hand on his arm. “It’s on me.” He held a sleek black card in the air to signal the server that they were ready to pay. Felix flushed slightly. What a stereotype. After the server brought his card back, Changbin helped Felix out of the booth. Felix could feel the question in the elder’s eyes as he avoided putting pressure on his right leg, but he was relieved that he didn’t ask.</p>
<p>Changbin’s eyes flitted to the clearly interested blonde at the counter. “If I leave first, are you going to immediately spill every detail to your friend there, despite the NDA?”</p>
<p>Felix’s face flushed bright red. “No! Only a little bit…”</p>
<p>Changbin laughed. “Just leave the personal details out of it. Give me your phone.” Felix obliged, handing him a very outdated model that he wasn’t sure even got updates anymore. Still, he opened the contacts and input his number under “Binnie 🐷🐰”, calling himself before handing it back. “There. I’ll text you. And feel free to text or call me if you need anything. It’s not a bother. I look forward to working with you.”</p>
<p>Changbin offered his hand to shake again, and when Felix took it, he gripped it tighter than before. Felix was struck by how warm and comforting it felt. The world around him faded for a moment, until their hands slipped apart and the café came rushing back into existence. Changbin gathered up his things to leave first, and as Felix watched the door close behind him, Hyunjin sidled up next to him.</p>
<p>“Damn, that’s a score!” He whistled. “My matches are never that fine.” Felix could hear the pout in his voice, but refused to look at his face. He had so much that he couldn’t tell Hyunjin. Or Jisung. Or anyone. All his friends were terrible at keeping secrets.</p>
<p>He felt his phone buzz, breaking his gaze. It was an email, titled, “It’s official”. Clicking the file, he found copies of the contract and the NDA. As of today, Felix was officially a sugar baby.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Mr. Binnie</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>IT LIVES!</p>
<p>So, umm... enjoy?<br/>Kinda short, sorry.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p> </p>
<p>
  <em>Snap!</em>
</p>
<p>Shit. That was Changbin’s last pencil. He needed to have Seungmin buy more if this was going to become a habit. Then again, maybe he wouldn’t break so many if Minho would stop loitering on his goddamn desk. Not just in his office, or near the desk. No. ON the desk. Man had a deathwish, if you asked Changbin.</p>
<p>“So, a little birdie told me…” Minho sing-songed.</p>
<p>“Damn it, Chan.” Changbin grumbled. He should have known better than to trust him.</p>
<p>“An <em>unnamed</em> little birdie told me you took some ‘personal time’ yesterday.” Minho grinned. “And that you wanted to thank me for an app?” He leaned back on the desk, one leg crossed over the other, foot bouncing up and down.</p>
<p>“Listen here, you little shit.” Minho lifted up a finger to protest, but Changbin cut him off. “I don’t care if you’re older than me, you’re making my life hell right now. I’m not thanking you for anything.” He scowled up at the older man. “Don’t you have, I don’t know, a job to do or something?”</p>
<p>Minho laughed. “Babe, my job does itself. No, wait, those are my minions. They do the job. Anyways, I’m just here to check in on you. You know how much I care.”</p>
<p>Changbin’s phone took that opportunity to go off. Their eyes met for a moment before both reached for the device. “Who the fuck is texting you, all your friends are here!” Minho was just a tiny bit faster, and dammit, Changbin knew he should have changed his passcode, he was opening the message already.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <strong>Felix:</strong>
</p>
<p> <em>[IMG attached]</em></p>
<p>
  <em>benchd during dnce clas agn</em>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>Changbin snatched the phone back as quickly as he could, but the damage was done. Minho had read the text and seen the picture. He didn’t have time to scroll, so past messages were safe, but Changbin was sure a barrage of questions were coming his way.</p>
<p>“Who. Is. That.”</p>
<p>Changbin set to changing his passcode immediately, and out of sight of his friend. “Nunya.”</p>
<p>“WAIT.” Minho slammed his hand on the desk. “Is that the SUGAR BABY I fake-messaged for you?” The worst cackle erupted from deep within him. “This is amazing!”</p>
<p>Changbin whirled around to face him. “I’m gonna be dead-serious right now. You can tease me all you want. I don’t give a fuck, I can take it. But leave the kid alone. He seems like he’s had it rough, and I’m not about to make it worse for him. You let this out, I’m airing all your dirty laundry, and we both know, that’s a lot.”</p>
<p>Minho blinked a few times, then nodded. “Shit, I didn’t realize you were serious about him. Invite me to the wedding.”</p>
<p>“Fuck off, asswipe.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>🍬🍬🍬🍬🍬</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>It wasn’t until much later that Changbin was finally able to get back to Felix.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <strong>Binnie:</strong>
</p>
<p>
  <em>i’m sry</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>is it ur knee still?</em>
</p>
<p>
  <strong>Felix:</strong>
</p>
<p>
  <em>ya</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>no dncing til it heels</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>zxbgjvnnvn</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>hyunjin is makng me go out w thm 2nit</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>[IMG attached]</em>
</p>
<p>
  <strong>Binnie:</strong>
</p>
<p>
  <em>you look great</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>my friends used to drag me too</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>stay safe, call if you need anything</em>
</p>
<p>
  <strong>Felix:</strong>
</p>
<p>
  <em>thx! i will!</em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Changbin couldn’t help but to smile. He supposed it hadn’t really been that long since he and his friends had been out to the clubs, but it felt like lifetimes ago. Now here he was, curled up on the couch in his sweats, catching up on a drama that he had been meaning to watch. He liked Felix’s energy, though. And of course, it didn’t hurt that he was gorgeous.</p>
<p>The contrast between the photos that he had sent today was incredible. In the first, the one that Minho had seen, Felix was barefaced and sleepy, his back to a mirrored wall, a textbook in his lap. But this new photo, this one sent a shiver down Changbin’s spine. His normally fluffy blonde hair was parted and pushed back on one side, sweeping down over the other eye. His eyes were smoky, lips stained red. He wore tight black pants, but it was his shirt that was the statement piece. It was patterned with a heavy black floral print, with all the background space being made of fine black mesh. Changbin could see hints of his body beneath it, and he would like to have words with the designer.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Changbin tried to distract himself with the drama he was watching. He was sure Felix was having a good time tonight, and that his friends were there for him. His wondered, though, what he was doing at the club. He knew from previous conversations that the younger’s knee problem prevented him from participating in his dance classes, but he didn’t know if he would be able to dance at a club or if he would be stuck in a booth all night. Changbin hoped that whatever he was doing, he was enjoying it.</p>
<p>On that note, Changbin got up from the couch to grab a beer from the fridge. He seriously needed to relax. Just focus on the show with a drink. He can do that.</p>
<p>The ringing of his phone jostled him awake, “Are you still watching?” judgingly asking from the TV. Changbin grabbed the phone, panic setting in when he saw who was calling. He was wide awake now.</p>
<p>“Felix, are you okay? What happened?”</p>
<p>At first all he heard was giggles. “Binnie. Mr. Binnie. I got drunked. Drinked? I drank.”</p>
<p>“Felix. Where are you? Do you need me to come get you?” Changbin was halfway to the door already when he realized that he didn’t have his keys or his wallet.</p>
<p>There was muffled murmuring on the other end. “Jisungie, where are we?” More mumbling. “We’re in an Uber! Goin’ home.”</p>
<p>“Are any of you sober?”</p>
<p>“Yes, I am.”</p>
<p>“Felix, you literally just told me you were drunk.” Changbin pinched the bridge of his nose between his fingers. He heard some shuffling noises, then a new voice came on the line.</p>
<p>“Mr. Binnie? Hi, I’m Yang Jeongin. I’m taking Felix, Hyunjin, and Jisung back to the dorms with me. Don’t worry, they’re safe, just stupid.” More shuffling, and a little bit of whining. “Okay, I’m handing you back to Felix now! Bye!”</p>
<p>“’M not stupid. Don’ wan’ you to think that.” Felix mumbled into the phone.</p>
<p>Changbin sat back on the couch. “I think you’re very smart. You go out with friends who have your back, and you stay together, and you stay safe. That’s smart. Smart boys drink water when they get back to their rooms, too.”</p>
<p>“Yessir. I’ll drink water.” Changbin could hear the car stop and everyone pile out. He stayed on the line while the boys made their way up to their rooms, reminding Felix to wash his face as well. “You take sush good care o’me.”</p>
<p>“Of course, Felix. It’s my job.” Would he still do it if there wasn’t a contract involved? That’s a question Changbin wasn’t looking to answer quite yet.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>CW - SUICIDE ATTEMPT</p>
<p>So, I'm sure a lot of you have been wondering where I disappeared to.<br/>Well, beginning of March, I tried to kill myself. 0/10, do not recommend.<br/>I've been in the mending process since.</p>
<p>If any of my readers are struggling, at all, with anything, I'm here for you. <br/>Reach out to me in the comments, on twitter, on curious cat, wherever. I want to hear from you.</p>
<p>twitter: minnisoldenough<br/>cc: minntee</p>
        </blockquote><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>adskfhdha;';'</p>
<p>They say you should write the fics you want to see in the world, so here it is, I guess...</p>
<p>If you like it, please let me know. Kudos and comments keep my heart going, 1 kudos = 1 beat.<br/>I love your comments, even if all you can come up with is "hurrdurr u rite nise."<br/>lort nose that's all I say half the time...</p></blockquote></div></div>
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